Pre-Clerkship Grades

Policy:

Students receiving a grade other than passing in a required preclinical course must successfully remediate that course; students receiving a grade other than passing in other preclinical courses must successfully complete the necessary number of each type of course required for graduation.

Students receiving a grade of failure (F) in a required preclinical course will be required to successfully remediate that course in a timely manner. Students receiving a grade of incomplete (I) in a preclinical course will be required to successfully complete course requirements in a timely manner. Because grades of withdrawn failing (WF) and withdrawn passing (WP) are given prior to course completion, students receiving these grades in a required preclinical course will be required to successfully repeat the course in its entirety. Students receiving more than one grade of F, I, WF, and/or WP in preclinical coursework may be required to remediate courses, repeat courses, or recycle an academic year, or may be dismissed from the School of Medicine. All decisions regarding course remediation, course completion, course repetition, recycling, dismissal, and academic progression are subject to approval by the Student Academic Standing Committee (SASC).

See also Medical Student Grading

See also Medical Student Advancement

See also Student Academic Standing Committee

General Procedures:

1. Notification. Upon recognition that a student will receive a grade other than passing in a first or second year course, the Course Director will send timely written notification to the student. A copy of the written correspondence will also be sent to the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education, the Associate Dean for Students, and the School of Medicine Registrar.

2. Academic Standing. Students receiving a grade of F or WF will be placed on Academic Probation until the receipt of a passing score on USMLE Step 1, provided no other academic issues need resolution. Students receiving a grade of I will be placed on a status of Active with Deficiency until all course requirements are completed, provided no other academic issues need resolution. All grades other than passing and all actions related to the receipt of these grades will be reviewed by the SASC.

3. Remediation of Grades of F and WF. The following chart summarizes general actions related to grades of F or WF in first and second year courses. Variations in circumstances and situations unique to individual students may alter these general guidelines. All decisions are subject to review and approval by the SASC.

Module

Knowledge Performance (KP)

Small Group or Other Performance (SP)

Final Grade

Remediation

Timeline for Remediation

PDS

Fail

Must remediate to satisfaction of module director

Prior to start of MS 2 year

Fundamentals 1 or 2

P

F

Fail

Must remediate SP to satisfaction of module director

Prior to start of second term of MS 1 year in January

Fundamentals 1 or 2

F – soft fail

(68 or 69)

P

Fail

Must remediate KP by remediation examination; failure to successfully pass remediation examination is grounds for recycling of MS 1 year

Prior to start of second term of MS 1 year in January

Fundamentals 1 or 2

F – hard fail

(< 68)

P or F

Fail

Recycle MS 1 year

Repeat course as part of recycled MS 1 year

ICM 1

Fail

Recycle MS 1 year (Note: In limited instances remediation may be possible prior to the start of the second half of the MS 1 year)

Repeat course as part of recycled MS 1 year; in limited instances prior to the start of the second half of the MS 1 year

ICM 2

Fail

Recycle second half of MS 1 year (Note: In limited instances remediation may be possible prior to the start of the MS 2 year)

Repeat course as part of recycled MS 1 year; in limited instances prior to start of MS 2 year

ICM3

Fail

Recycle MS2 year (Note: In limited instances remediation may be possible prior to the start of the MS 3 year)

Must remediate KP by remediation examination; failure to successfully pass remediation examination is grounds for recycling

MS1 course: Prior to start of next MS 1 year

MS2 course: Prior to taking USMLE Step 1

Organ Modules

F – hard fail

(< 68)

P or F

Fail

Must remediate entire module to satisfaction of course director; failure to successfully remediate is grounds for recycling

MS1 course: Prior to start of next MS 1 year

MS2 course: Prior to taking USMLE Step 1

Special Topics (ST)

Fail

Must successfully complete the necessary number of ST required for graduation

Prior to graduation

Elective

Fail

Must successfully complete the necessary number of electives required for graduation

Prior to graduation

Note: When an entire module must be remediated, the remediation process and timeline is specified by the Module Director. If satisfactory remediation cannot be accomplished within the required timeframe without the student stopping academic progression, the Module Director will notify the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education and the Associate Dean for Students. As in all cases of grades other than passing, the SASC will review these cases and make the final decision regarding whether a student must stop academic progression to remediate.

4. Academic Record. Modules remediated by examination appear on the academic record as F/P or F/F as appropriate. The initial failing raw score that generated the failing grade is the only raw score used in calculating a raw score average. Modules that must be remediated in their entirety appear on the academic record as two separate courses in the same academic year, with one listed as remediation. Modules remediated by recycling appear on the academic record as two separate courses in two different academic years.

5. Multiple Grades Other Than Passing. Students receiving two grades of F or WF during the MS 1 year are typically required to recycle the MS 1 year in its entirety; students receiving two grades of F or WF during the MS 2 year are typically required to recycle the MS 2 year in its entirety. Students receiving two grades of F or WF in preclinical coursework during two different academic years will be reviewed by the SASC for possible recycling of some or all coursework. Students receiving three grades of F or WF in preclinical coursework are subject to dismissal from the School of Medicine. Students receiving more than one grade other than passing, regardless of type, may be required to stop coursework and take an involuntary leave of absence.

6. Incomplete Grades. Students receiving a grade of I must successfully complete any missing required course components within the deadline stipulated by the course director. In general, a student may not commence a new academic year until any grade of I is resolved. Failure to successfully complete missing course requirements or to complete them within the specified timeframe may result in a grade of F for the course; in this case the grade of F will be treated as outlined above.

7. Academic Dismissal. Academic dismissal will be considered for, but is not limited to, the following reasons:

Failure to successfully remediate

Failure to successfully remediate within the specified deadline

Failure of two or more courses in a single academic year

Failure of two or more courses in multiple preclinical academic years

8. SASC Authority. All decisions regarding course remediation, course completion, course repetition, recycling, dismissal, and academic progression are subject to approval by the SASC. Students have the opportunity to respond and an opportunity to appeal any adverse decision by the SASC related to recycling, promotion, graduation, or dismissal. See SASC for details.